New Arrivals

At present still dominated by new wood characters - however underneath there is concentrated, powerful fruit bolstered by ripe, firm tannins. Potentially the finest La Mission of the second half of the 1990s, and maybe since 1990.

Mainly Tempranillo, Graciano, Mazuelo. The 890 is produced only in the best vintages. 40-year-old vines planted on calcareous soils. Very long ageing, six years in self-built American oak barrels. 12 rackings during ageing. 15,000 bottles produced.

The wine totally fulfils expectations for a classic rioja style. Very complex and open nose, woody and spicy showing liquorice, cloves, vanilla and earthiness. It has an acceptable touch of nail varnish. On the palate it is extremely polished and savoury, almost texture-free for a red wine. Very leathery aftertaste. It has concentrated flavours and is delicate in the mouth.

Drink 2016 - 2030

Ferran Centelles, JancisRobinson.com (June 2016)

The legendary Ygay property is at an altitude of 500m in the heart of the Rioja Alta. The 2004 Gran Reserva Especial is a blend of 93% Tempranillo and 7% Mazuelo. After fermentation in stainless steel, the wine has been allowed to age in barrique for 29 months, of which nearly a third has been spent in new barrels.

To complement this generous intervention is the natural benevolence of the vintage; 2004 is now lauded in the same way as 2001 and 1994. This is borne out by the quality of the fruit, the pedigree of the aromas and the impressive length. Earth, spice and black cherry dance with dexterity over the palate, and there is great finesse and charm on the finish.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Experts on the subject of soil will tell you that Haut Bailly boasts one of the finest terroirs in the Pessac-Leognan appellation. The wine made here has always been fine, but it has reached a new level of excellence in recent years, rivalling some great Haut-Medoc Cab-Sauvignon-dominated wines. For me, this new departure began with the 2004 vintage, not hailed as a great vintage in Bordeaux but bearing the hallmark of what the British call a "classic vintage", meaning a wine of finesse and elegance, with cool, sweet fruit supported by ripe tannins and balancing acidity—a joy to drink now and until 2030.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

"This stunning wine is one of the vintage's great successes. Administrator Thomas Duroux has fashioned a modern day version of Palmer's brilliant 1966. Displaying a rare combination of power and elegance, this dense purple-colored offering exhibits notes of blackberries, truffles, flowers, incense, and camphor. Long, classic, and medium to full-bodied with stunning texture and richness, this superb effort is a candidate for the finest Margaux of the vintage."
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - 30-Jun-2007

Deeply coloured with a crimson hue, this was remarkably expressive at first taste before decanting for a few hours. Instinctively, I was expecting a muscular and brooding Batailley, such is the nature of the vintage, but rather quite the opposite with a silky and seductive wine which showcased layer upon layer of complexity, forest fruits and blackberry pie, through to cedar and spice box. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plentiful structure keeping this completely alive, the tannins finely etched into the background, and acidity plays a balancing role; however, I find the wine is in harmony at present, with 16 years under its belt.

With an opportunity to do this justice, I served alongside a roasted rare topside of fine beef and couldn’t have asked for more - this was absolutely singing, with mineral freshness and impressive length to boot. I would certainly recommend this food pairing. Otherwise, it is extremely enjoyable on its own after a few hours in a decanter. Undoubtedly, it will give for another 10-15 years, but there is certainly no harm in cracking open some 2005 Ch. Batailley now! A stalwart of Pauillac from a brilliant vintage, it’s a reminder of how good Bordeaux can be….Fabulous.

Chris Lamb, Account Manager, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This wine is gorgeous, with a lovely perfumed floral nose of violets and black fruit supported by a pure, creamy and elegantly structured palate. Classy blackberries and cassis shine through with great precision, alongside minerality and firm tannins. The wines of this estate are renowned for their purity, but in 2005 they have taken on that extra richness that they required to make them truly outstanding.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

I have loved this wine on many occasions, and I love it here again. This is not a wine that is hiding its age - there are already some tertiary notes developing - and you'll find younger-looking 2005s, but it has a generosity of spirit, a succulence to its fruit, and a hauntingly fresh menthol edge to the finish that is really beautiful. Mouthwatering brilliance. 45% of production.

Drink 2018 - 2030

Jane Anson, Decanter.com (November 2017)

With 71% Cabernet Sauvignon and 29% Merlot, Duhart-Milon-Rothschild is a bit firmer than the Carruades de Lafite, but it is still very Pauillac. An attractive blackcurrant nose is followed by a very ample concentrated palate that is incredibly fresh and very fine indeed. Despite its considerable structure, this is a real charmer. Excellent.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The winemaker at Lagrange is the brother of the winemaker at Léoville-Las Cases, so family Christmases must be quite a treat. Unusually for the Médoc, this ever-impressive wine has been made with more Merlot than usual (45%) rather than more Cabernet (46%). The yields are down to a lowly 40hl/ha, which bestows the wine with great concentration. The keynote here, though, is the incredible ripeness. The attractive nose is elegant and pretty, while the wine is pure and generous with polished blackberry fruit—another terrific wine from this Berrys' favourite.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

What a great vintage for Montalcino! Fuller and more intense, with profound notes of loganberry and sandalwood this is a fabulously composed Brunello. In the mouth one senses the presence of this immense wine while its energy stops it from ever becoming cumbersome.
David Berry Green, August 2011

Calon very much reflects the vintage in 2006. Rather than trying to make something big and brawny, this is full of finesse and class, and that inimitable austere St Estèphe style. Made with 60% Cabernet Sauvignon it is a wine for the long term. Its aromas are all dark fruit and raspberries imbued with minerals, while the palate is refined, with lovely crisp silky fruit and a firm tannic structure. This is another very impressive Calon.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

One of Rioja’s signature wines and certainly the most distinctive label from Muga, Prado Enea is aged for seven years in a combination of vat, cask and bottle, its 2006 manifestation cleaving the traditional to the modern with powerful French oak tannins framing a magnificent savoury personality. An almost meaty vitality and more than a whiff of wood smoke underlines the individuality of this truly great wine, its dark fruit core enhanced by notes of tobacco box and the kitchen garden.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Ripe fruit and hints of tobacco hit the nose before you discover the palate has well-balanced acidity and silky tannins. There is a good concentration of blackberries and earthiness with a slight hint of liquorice. As with the estate's white, the finish goes on and on. This is one for the traditional Bordeaux lover.

Ben Upjohn, Berry Bros. & Rudd

No wonder Olivier Bernard was beaming. His 2007 is the latest in a line of stunning vintages, which, apart from the fantastic 2005, is his best wine since 2000. A brooding, spicy, damson nose leads onto a dense palate with blackberry, crushed cassis, tobacco and leather with a long, pure finish. 

The balanced, mouth-filling fruit is cloaked in velvety but significant tannins (higher than 2005), bestowing the wine with a refined, masculine, early-drinking style. Fantastic in the context of any vintage and not far off the quality of Haut-Brion, this is an essential buy for any Claret-lover.

Simon Staples, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2007 Solaia saturates the palate with a heady array of super-ripe black cherries, plums, cassis, mocha and sweet French oak. There is an exotic quality to the Solaia I find totally irresistible. Despite its considerable ripeness and opulence, the 2007 Solaia is never heavy, rather it impresses for its extraordinary finesse and balance. Minerals, graphite and crushed rocks frame a long, seductive finish. This is a wonderful Solaia loaded with vintage and vineyard character. The 2007 Solaia is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Sangiovese and 5% Cabernet Franc, aged in 100% new oak.
Antonio Galloni, The Wine Advocate

Belonging to the Mouton stable, and with a prestigious location right next to both Mouton and Lafite, Ch. Clerc Milon is a fresher, lighter style of 2008 which has a delicious hint of creamy raspberry fruit to the more classic blackcurrant backbone. Fine with exceptionally fine tannins this has a lovely rounded finish with more than a hint of the savoury minerality of the vintage.

Tasting at Ch. Ducru-Beaucaillou is a surreal experience. To say that the Borie family have an unusual taste in modern art is an understatement but once you get past the flamboyant bright orange-yellow décor and copper filigree sliding doors of the tasting ‘tunnel’, the 2008 wine was by far the finest Ducru we had ever tasted. Bruno Borie attributes the triumph of 2008 to his 45-strong team who had worked together meticulously to create this enormously pure, clean and complex Ducru with sophisticated, supple tannins and gorgeous, fat, juicy fruit. Sensational. Ducru’s tasting note compares this wine to ‘a Roman construction, all in roundness, but imposing’. PR spin perhaps but, in 2008, we are forced to agree. Sensational.

One of several highlights of 2008, Ch. Léoville-Las Cases is an example of how brilliant St Julien can be in a good year. Interestingly it was also virtually the only estate in the Left Bank where Cabernet Franc really seemed to work in 2008 and the successful addition of a heady 12% in this blend adds a voluptuous perfume to the 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. Intensely concentrated with dense blackcurrant cassis, vanilla, a creamy texture and tannins which are linear but softened by a massive coating of black fruit, this is most definitely a must-buy wine this vintage.

With its smooth, creamy, black and red fruit and massive, super-suave tannins, this is a silky, powerful, sexy wine with the plump, ripe fruit of the vintage and a refreshing, mineral backbone. Well-balanced and with fine tannins, this has the elegance and finesse of its heritage with a fragrant, enticing nose that will draw you back for more. This is at a really good price for the quality and is really worth considering.

One of the superstars of the vintage, this classic Montrose is not as showy or opulent as the 2010, 2009 or 2003, but it offers a dense purple color followed by gorgeously sweet black raspberry and black currant fruit intermixed with loamy, earthy, forest floor notes, a floral component and a long, full-bodied finish. The 2008 was fashioned from yields of 44 hectoliters per hectare which is slightly less than the 2010's 45 hectoliters per hectare. Forget it for 5-8 years and drink it over the following 20+.

With an intense, complex nose and dense bramble and spice notes on the palate, the 71% Cabernet, 29% Merlot blend is concentrated with dark fruit gravitas and a long, mineral finish. The richness of the fruit is very evident here and brings to mind the 2001, but the crisp acidity is a reflection of the unique character of 2008. The richness of the fruit is very evident here and brings to mind the 2001, but the crisp acidity is a reflection of the unique character of 2008. Pichon-Baron may be classed as a 2ème Cru Classé, but 2008 they produced a wine of first-growth quality.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

A wine of the vintage candidate in 2008, Troplong Mondots offering was produced from yields of 41 hectoliters per hectare and achieved 14.5% natural alcohol. A classic blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, it offers copious quantities of blue and black fruits, a full-bodied opulence, sweet tannin and a fabulous texture as well as finish. Already drinking beautifully, it will be even better in 2-5 years and should last for 20 years. A great effort for the vintage, it couldnt happen to a more deserving proprietor, Christine Valette. Bravo!
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 02/05/2011

Domaine de Chevalier always seems to know how to please. The 2008 has a fantastic, opulent nose of liquid blackcurrants and a concentrated, intense palate of dark cassis fruit but with that lovely freshness indicative of the vintage. This is a wine with plenty of flesh on its bones, but one which combines power with grace and balance. Ripe, grainy tannins and a savoury, mineral finish complete this very rewarding wine.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The outstanding wine in 2007 is equally brilliant in 2008. Deep purple in colour with exceptional power on the nose. Some fresh mulberry fruit at the start leads to more complex flavours and even a touch of bacon on the palate. Stems used in the vinification. Brilliantly put together. Very long finish, suffused with energy.
(Jasper Moris MW, BBR Buyer)

Crushed flowers, tobacco, mint, licorice and dried cherries lift from the glass in Pira's 2009 Barolo Pira Vecchie Viti. Interestingly, within Roagna's range the old vines in Pajè confer power, but here they seem to add finesse. Sweet tobacco, menthol and worn-in leather add nuance on the open, expressive finish. The 2009 Pira Vecchie Viti is a bit more forward than the straight Barolo Pira. It will be interesting to see how both wines age.
Antonio Galloni - vinousmedia.com - Sept 2014

We first tasted 2009 Ch. Pontet Canet at a négociant’s during the Bordeaux en primeur tastings, and then we tried it again later that week at the château. In both cases, it was utterly, utterly brilliant. The nose is wonderfully pure and elegant, yet ultra-concentrated, whilst gorgeous, blackcurrant fruit dominates the lush-textured palate. Layers of complexity ripple across the tongue whilst the deliciously ripe tannins are present and then melt away. It is very focused, very precise and superbly refined but with great power. This near-first growth standard is almost at its highest level with the seamless, harmonious wine of 2005—one of the true stars of 2009.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This Latricires-Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Rossignol-Trapet has beautiful, elegant, deep red fruit and is very graceful and subtle. The fine fruit stretches all the way to a lovely finish with an amazingly perfumed aftertaste.

Only about 1,500 bottles were made from Roagna's south-west-facing plot that adjoins that of Bruno Giacosa. The sandy talc element of the calcareous soil gives an intriguing clementine-skin character, along with rose-petal purity. Crunchy-cool poise, packed with harmonious detail, a glint of kirsch cassis and red cherry-stone, impeccably dressed; it sets the pulse racing.

The father and son team of Alfredo and Luca Roagna are celebrating the completion of their new cantina in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of La Pira vineyard, a prime location they’ve owned since 1989, but had bought fruit from since the 1950s. Both in their Barolo and Barbaresco estates (15 hectares in total), they pride themselves on their organic, grassed-over vineyards. They’re fortunate to have a wealth of oldvine fruit at their disposal which, of course, they vinify traditionally with extended maceration in large oak barrels.

This is made with 55-year-old vine fruit from an exquisite site, right in the heart of a natural amphitheatre close to the village of Barbaresco itself, the soil rich in chalk. Blood-red colour, the nose seduces, as always, with gorgeous, sweet raspberry, kirsch cassis, a hedonistic, velvety texture – held tight with sinewy structure. The palate swells with sumptuous fruit, yet it is chalky and pure, sensational, with such detail – brimming with superlatives.

The father and son team of Alfredo and Luca Roagna are celebrating the completion of their new cantina in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of La Pira vineyard, a prime location they’ve owned since 1989, but had bought fruit from since the 1950s. Both in their Barolo and Barbaresco estates (15 hectares in total), they pride themselves on their organic, grassed-over vineyards. They’re fortunate to have a wealth of oldvine fruit at their disposal which, of course, they vinify traditionally with extended maceration in large oak barrels.

Only 2,000 bottles of the old-vine La Pira, located under the castello di Castiglione Falletto, were made by the Roagna family in this excellent vintage; rather unsurprisingly given the oldest vine was planted in 1937. Compared to their normal La Pira, this oldvine version is super-suave, with velvety cassis-fruit, underpinned by a cool white-stone – almost marble – core and minerality. It's got that extra gear of fruit but also of purity and balance. This was particularly excellent in 2010; a wine to challenge Mascarello's Monprivato for purity and poise.

The father and son team of Alfredo and Luca Roagna are celebrating the completion of their new cantina in Castiglione Falletto, in the heart of La Pira vineyard, a prime location they’ve owned since 1989, but had bought fruit from since the 1950s. Both in their Barolo and Barbaresco estates (15 hectares in total), they pride themselves on their organic, grassed-over vineyards. They’re fortunate to have a wealth of oldvine fruit at their disposal which, of course, they vinify traditionally with extended maceration in large oak barrels.

This Close de Vougeot glows an imperial purple with exceptional quality and real nobility. Fine and taut on the palate, with black fruit notes, it has a superb tannic structure and therefore the potential for long term ageing.

This has been one of the most exciting cellars in the whole of Burgundy for the last few vintages, a fact which is beginning to be reflected in the pricing. The significant reduction in crop this year, which Etienne Grivot ascribes more to the extreme winter cold than poor flowering, is also a factor. Etienne has been working hard to refine the tannins in his wines, and has surely succeeded in 2010, by producing wines of great energy but with suave, sophisticated finishes. These are brilliant wines that unfortunately, are in short supply.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Ch. Clos Fourtet is a real success in the St Emilion appellation. It has a lovely black fruit nose, a seamless, rich mouthfeel, and a fine sense of restraint to keep the high alcohol firmly in check. It is a very attractive style and one of the best Clos Fourtet wines for many years, blessed with a real sense of minerality from this fine terroir.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Tasted blind at Farr Vintners 10-Year On Bordeaux horizontal.

The 2010 Echo de Lynch Bages has a very attractive bouquet, a mélange of red and black fruit tinged with damp loam and undergrowth aromas, all well-defined and welcoming floral scents with continued aeration. The palate is medium-bodied with fine-grain tannins. Hints of graphite and bell pepper infuse the ample black fruit. There is superb weight and body towards the finish. A classic Claret from start to finish, this is a great wine in the making. I was shocked and pleased when the identity of this wine was revealed (incidentally, it was one I had not encountered previously).

Drink 2020 - 2035

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (April 2020)

Bright rich purple. Very classy nose with lots of energy. Rich fruit but poised and chiselled, generous in the middle yet structured and fresh behind. Fabulous blackberry and red fruit finish which stretches out magically. Haute Couture.
Jasper Morris MW, Fine Wine Buyer

Special 25th anniversary bottling

How many dinners anywhere start with a wine on a level with the 2010 Ornellaia? I imagine not many. But that’s exactly the way we get going. Super-expressive aromatics soar out of the glass as the 2010 shows off its personality. Sweet herbs, tobacco, liquorice, mocha and tar wrap around a core of intense dark fruit. Racy, powerful and majestic, the 2010 is a total stunner.

This wine was tasted as part of an Ornellaia and Masseto Retrospective hosted by Vinous on December 5, 2016. The tasting spanned eight iconic reference point vintages: 2010, 2007, 2006, 2004, 2001, 1998, 1997 and 1995. All of the wines were served from magnum. Most of the Ornellaia magnums were from the Archivio Storico collection of library wines. The bottles were purchased from the estate, ensuring perfect provenance.

Drink 2016 - 2036

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com (January 2017)

This wine has an amazing wealth of fruit, notable grip and will benefit from longer barrel élévage. It is certainly one to put away in the cellar and look forward to.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Director

The former Domaine René Manuel has been purchased by investors, the vineyards being split between Domaine des Comtes Lafon and Domaine Roulot while Dominique Lafon himself has moved production of his own label wines to the Manuel cellars in Meursault, as well as gaining some Bourgogne Blanc vines. Though Dominique operates officially under the status of negociant, all the wines are domaine grown and bottled except the Bourgogne Blanc, which will be next year.

Offering up aromas of smoky pear, warm biscuits, clear honey and spices, the 2011 Extra-Brut Grand Cru Les Champs Saint-Martin is medium to full-bodied, fleshy and precise, with bright acids and a charming core of fruit, complemented by a pinpoint mousse. Of these various lieu-dit bottlings from Penet-Chardonnet, it's the 2011 that best transcends the limitations of the vintage. It was disgorged in September 2019 with 5.2 grams per liter dosage.

Drink now to 2027

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2022)

From the blended Barolo Serralunga d’Alba we move up a gear to the single-vineyard Cerretta. Noticeably more focused and more resolved than the village Barolo, this is darker plum in colour, suave, soft and generously fruity on the nose, with neat, bright intensity. One is struck by the volume of fruit on offer; succulent kirsch, currant and dark cherry, with such clean lines.

The concentration and density of this wine are evident from the outset. Tightly packed structural elements support the rich, scented, and dark fruit. The tannins are gloriously silky, and the cooling acidity provides a perfect counterpoint. This wine will reward patience.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

An outstanding Grand Cru Champagne from one of the most celebrated vintages in recent history. Production is a meagre 244 cases, grown from 3 small plots planted from 1963-1987and the bottles have spent over 10 years on lees.

Despite the age, this is a vibrant and incredibly precise expression of Chardonnay, with rich bursts of apple tartlets and delicate white flowers on the nose, and a graceful effervescence on the palate. With zero dosage added, you can taste every nuance of the complexities Chardonnay can offer, framed by a slightly saline note and a minerality reminiscent of crushed limestone.

Mouth-wateringly delicious, enjoy this now until 2030.

Katie Merry, Assistant Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (September 2023)

Champagne Penet-Charonndet’s 2012 vintage of the La Croix l’Aumonier Blanc de Noirs boasts huge richness on the palate, while retaining tension and firm minerality. Grapes are sourced from a single old-vine plot of Pinot Noir, located on the south-east facing slopes of Verzy, that yield just a few thousand bottles a year. The wine spent time in large oak barrels that have given a soft gloss to the fine mousse, alongside noticeable spiced notes.

Drink 2023 - 2040

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

A fine powerful purple colour with a lifted and exciting bouquet: fruit dances across the palate, complex and compelling and the stems add a crunchiness to the otherwise seamlessly rich texture. This is a glorious wine from ancient vines.
Jasper Morris MW, Burgundy Wine Director

This superb domaine grows in reputation and also in size: this year sees the first vintage of Nuits-St Georges, Clos de Thorey. Look out for even further additions in the next two years. Winemaker Pierre Vincent’s style is for lighter colours and very sensual wines and he has done a cracking job again in 2012; a vintage which supported the plentiful use of whole bunch fermentation. The domaine is certified organic and fully biodynamic.

The 2012 Troplong Mondot has a fragrant bouquet with black cherry, cough candy and touches of marmalade, not complex but vigorous and fresh. The palate is medium-bodied with a fine bone structure and good acidity. Some expressive Cabernet Franc lends a Left Bank tincture to the spicy, black pepper-tinged finish. Classy, but not sure about its longevity. Tasted twice at Bordeaux Index's Ten Year-On tasting and blind at the Southwold Ten-Year On tasting.

Drink 2022 - 2032

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (September 2022)

Darker soils than the Serralunga, with more clay, and bigger, more compact berries. Aromas of black cherry and florest floor an the nose, leading to a core of purple fruit on the palate, with finely grained tannins and a mineral spine. Structured and opulent. Drink 2022+

Katherine Dart MW, Wine Buyer

Incredibly impressive from the outset, the colour is deep for Nebbiolo, reminiscent of Grand Cru Pinot Noir from the Cotes de Nuits. The nose is majestic with notes of ripe black cherries, liquorice, ripe plums and spice. It’s difficult to stop smelling the wine, so compelling is the bouquet. The palate is well worth the wait though, as it is beautiful in the mouth, the same black and red fruit characters on the nose are complimented by more earthy, meaty notes, crisp acidity and the finest and ripest of tannins. Everything is perfectly in balance, with all the elements pulling in the same direction. Long and fine the finish goes on for a minute or more. Effortless superb are the words that springs to mind, like the finest vintages of Bordeaux first growth and Grand Cru red Burgundy this is truly majestic and what fine wine is all about in my opinion.
Chris Pollington - Italian Specialist

Noticeable but not invasive wood and menthol frame a slightly riper array of aromas that are quite similar to those of the regular cuvée. Here too there is outstanding density and power to the even more concentrated broad-shouldered and robust flavors that possess even better depth and persistence on the impeccably well-balanced, saline and palate coating finish. This is presently extremely primary and while it's clear that this offers huge upside development potential it's also clear that plenty of patience will be required.
Drink 2031+
95 points, Allen Meadows, Burghound.com, Jan 2016, Issue #61

Here the nose is distinctly different as it combines overt sauvage scents with those of pomegranate and dark cherry liqueur aromas, all of which is trimmed in plenty of warm earth nuances. There is fine volume and plenty of power to the muscular, powerful and robust big-bodied flavors that possess excellent mid-palate concentration as well as impressive persistence. What this doesn't have, at least not yet is the outstanding depth and thus my predicted range is somewhat wider than it usually is. The requisite underlying material does appear to be in place so that this additional complexity can develop and I am optimistic that it will in time.
Allen Meadows - burghound.com - Jan 2015

Château Brane-Cantenac is among the most reliable names on Bordeaux’s Left Bank, ranked a Second Growth in 1855.

The 2014 has immediate appeal on the nose, with black fruits, peppery spice, violets and cigar box aromas. It’s a delicious Claret to drink now, with inviting flavours of blackberry, plum and earthy complexity from bottle age. It also has the structure to age further, with fine tannins and refreshing acidity. The spicy note works very well with Ixta Belfrage’s porcini mushroom ragu, though you couldn’t go wrong with a simply prepared duck breast.

Charlie Geoghegan DipWSET, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Tasting at this St. Estephe property was a pleasant experience, universally enjoyed by our Fine Wine team. Forward and lifted cassis fruit on the nose with violets and notes of graphite. More of the same across the palate, flamboyant and dense with bags of acidity providing a linear feel – typical of the finest 2014s. This is fleshy and generous, but with the firm tannin backbone we expect from the commune.

Martyn Rolph, Head of Buying, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This property seem to be able to deliver exceptional wines whatever the weather due to arguably one of the best terroir in Bordeaux and a dedicated wine making team who is adverse to trends and do not manufacture their wines. This year is no exception, the nose is intense and layered with cassis and blackberries. Once on the palate the power and drive is instant, covering all parts with meaty, powerful black fruits. The length is firm and focused but the tannins are very ripe. This vintage will open up quite quickly but with such power and balance this is also built for the long term.

Max Lalondrelle, Fine Wine Buying Director, Berry Bros. & Rudd

A dark black-red, Montrose is brooding in the glass. Complex and concentrated on the nose, there are blackcurrants, liquorice and hints of mint. There is a nice intensity on the palate, quite firm, full-bodied and full of minerals and spice. Perhaps more refined than usual, the wine is really rewarding and quite generous with notes of fleshy dark cherry and blackcurrants. There is an inherent richness here, a lovely dark fruit profile and pure, focused tannins which are typical of this great estate. This is a really fine effort, engaging, atypical of the great commune of St Estèphe and one of our favourites from the vintage. Modern and pure, it is a perfect expression of modern Ch. Montrose.

30% Merlot, 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc

55% Cabernet Sauvignon; 41% Merlot; 4% Petit Verdot.

The nose has a really nice aroma of tobacco combined with floral notes. Darker fruits dominate, with blackberry, cherry, and plum to the fore. The palate is sweet, too, with an energetic lift and a very rewarding length. We really like the wine this year. A cooling, mineral earthiness arrives on the finish, which is welcome and pleasing. Quite sumptuous for a second wine, it is serious this year—a good fruit core, nice and savoury and a joy to taste.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

100% Chardonnay. 0g/L dosage.

Lovely nose of peaches, white apricots, jasmine, lemon curd, olives and almonds. Distinct salty and chalky undertones. Medium body with fine bubbles. Elegant and refined, with a very long and fine finish.

Drink or hold

James Suckling, JamesSuckling.com (July 2022)

Glistening violet. Smoke- and mineral-accented cherry and black raspberry scents are complemented by tobacco, violet and cracked pepper suggestions. Silky in texture and lively on the palate, offering gently sweet dark berry, cherry compote and floral pastille flavours firmed by a spine of juicy acidity. The spicy note returns an impressively long, penetrating finish with good clarity and subtle, fine-grained tannins.

Drink 2023 - 2031

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com (September 2019)

The 2017 Auxey-Duresses Les Cloux is lovely, delivering an incipiently complex bouquet of pear, woodsmoke, dried white flowers and fresh pastry. It's medium to full-bodied, satiny and textural, built around racy acids and chalky dry extract.

Drink 2022 - 2037

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (February 2020)

This is a very charming wine, offering an expressive nose of ripe white fruit combined with sophisticated struck-match reduction and gentle oak toast. The palate is quite generous, offering richly textured white peach fruit, stylish and attractive oak spice and a keen thread of citrus acidity, finishing on a cleansing note of chalky minerals.  

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (Aug 2022)

This is a charming and delightful example of everything I love about 2017 reds: pale ruby, a seductive perfume of red berries, rose petals and a dash of pepper. The palate is open and pretty, with juicy, crunchy redcurrant and strawberry fruit, mouth-watering acidity, and delicate, silken tannins. The finish has a chalky limestone freshness and a touch of creamy, spicy oak that will integrate further with time, though it may prove difficult to resist the temptation to enjoy this wine's wonderful balance and charm now.

Adam Bruntlett, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This was quite late to finish malolactic fermentation and accordingly the wine initially shows as quite creamy and soft, but the energy of the vintage illuminates the finish. It's from two parcels, Rue aux Vaches, above the village, and the other Noyers Bret, towards Chassagne.

Drink 2022 - 2028

Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is a fabulous vineyard, nestling up to Le Montrachet and Chevalier-Montrachet. The Bouzereau parcel sits directly beneath that which was upgraded to Chevalier in 1974. The wine has a fine, aristocratic, blossoming tautness across both bouquet and palate. Drink 2023-2031.

The harvest started on 30th August in Cailleret and Charmes, and was finished by 9th September. The Pinot Noir and Chardonnay flowered in warm weather at the same time but, while the Pinot loved the heat, Chardonnay did not, with the resulting coulure and millerandage restricting yields to around 50hl/ha. Jean-Baptiste looked to get texture into his wines with skin contact and an extended fermentation rather than through bâtonnage, seeking to capture as much of the vital balancing freshness as possible.

Brian pondered whether climate change is helping some of Burgundy’s more marginal vineyards, such as En Remilly. St Aubin is now achieving very good levels of ripeness, as here, showing a sweet and honeyed exotic palate, with ripe, grapefruit-esque acidity. Drink 2022-2028.

Winemaker Brian Sieve draws comparisons between the white wines of 2017 and 2014, explaining that the texture, weight and freshness are very similar in both years, although 2017 has perhaps a little more fruit ripeness, along with excellent tension and persistence. He believes that this same freshness and brightness in the reds will provide ageing capacity, pointing out that they worked hard to restrict the yield of Pinot Noir to achieve riper grapes. Overall slightly less whole-bunch fermentation was used as Brian felt the stems and fruit were not as ripe as in richer vintages.

This is a selection of the vineyards clustered around the village of Volnay itself. Grands Champs, Pluchots, Gigottes and Échards combine to give a richer nose and more density than the standard bottling. The palate displays greater structure while still retaining elegance and finesse. Drink 2021-2028.

Michel Lafarge (b. 1928) and his son Frédéric make use of their combined experience to produce some of the greatest wines in Volnay. There is nothing modern in their winemaking, though the meticulous care of their biodynamically farmed vineyards puts the domaine at the forefront of viticultural practices. When they are working on a patch of vines they are usually accompanied by their hens who eat up any lurking pests. The grapes are de-stemmed, vinified traditionally and very little new oak is used in the cellar. In 2014, they purchased vineyards in the Beaujolais which are farmed using the same biodynamic practices as employed in the Côte de Beaune.

Frédéric was keen to highlight the solidarity shown between vignerons at the end of April, as they mobilised to put in place measures to prevent a repeat of the frosts of 2016. Burning dampened straw bales at strategic locations, they succeeded in creating cloud cover which saved the vast majority of the vineyards. He also stressed the importance of “fractional harvesting” – waiting until each parcel is fully ripe before picking – and feels that the domaine’s biodynamic practices allow the grapes to achieve even ripening and balance, a real boon in early vintages such as 2017. For those with long memories, 90-year-old Michel compares 2017 to 1947 and 1964.

An elegant wine, this comes from a cool site in a slight dip, with shallow topsoil before the limestone. It offers a coulis of red fruit in 2018, juicy and accessible, but with a lovely cool, refreshing push underneath. Drink 2023-2029.

The Nerello Mascalese vines were planted in 1975, the vineyard is rooted on the slopes above Solichhiata at 750 meters asl. The 2017 represents Davide’s second vintage release since he partnered with local Etna hero, Alberto Graci. Soft maceration of the skins, aids this wines aromatic complexity and graceful structure.

The nose is fragrant and inviting, rose, violet, prune, rosemary mixed with cranberry, blood orange, white pepper & strawberry leaf. There is delightful immediacy of fruit on the palate, just delicious. But also savoury depth and striking minerality and poise. The tannins are silky, well managed from the time spent in mixed French oak.

Although proudly Sicilian in style, there is a unquestionable resemblance in style to Davide’s beloved wines of Serralunga d’Alba. With crunchy fruit purity and mineral grip you can identify his style, as he uses the same sensitivity which has made him famous for expressing Nebbiolo. Characterized by Davide’ signature polish and power, this is SO enjoyable now but will develop.

Drink now to 2035

Davy Żyw, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (October 2021)

Thibault Liger-Belair has followed organic and biodynamic practices for more than two decades. He believes that winemaking starts not with the fruit but with the soil. “We all talk about terroir, but my focus is on the soil and putting what it needs first,” Thibaut explains. His wines are pure, focused and desirable.

Immediately north of the town, La Charmotte lies just below Premier Cru Aux Bousselots. Firmer tannins from the lighter limestone follow a soft and generous entry from the clay-rich soil. This is pretty and front-loaded with plenty of fresh red-fruit notes.

Drink 2021 - 2026

This is from two very different vineyards: David has 0.8 hectares of 35-year-old vines in Les Cornières on glacial alluvial spoil from the combe, and 0.15 hectares in Charmes-Dessus on complex limestone, all planted in the 1980s. Here the spiciness is complemented by black fruits, and there is a final lift of sweet red fruit on the finish from 15% whole-bunch. Drink 2021-2026.

Shallow sandy soils, a dry year, risk of dehydrating – so pick early. Still above 13% though. Two-thirds whole cluster. Plump ripe fruit aromatics but still with some freshness. Just a slightly drier finish.

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (October 2019)

The fruit here comes from the parcel upslope from that used for the Lafon village Volnay. It’s extraordinary that a few metres uphill can make such a difference, but this is much more powerful and richly perfumed, and still quintessentially Volnay.

Drink 2024 - 2032

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Offering up aromas of green apple, citrus oil, white flowers and a subtle top note of petrol, Pierre Boisson's 2019 Bourgogne Blanc is medium to full-bodied, satiny and precise, with lively acids and a chalky, delicately oak-inflected finish.

Drink 2021 - 2026

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2022)

The traditional one-quarter of a hectare around Vosne and Vougeot has been supplemented by a new plot in Les Croix Blanches in Vosne-Romanée, doubling the size of the cuvée. Unusually, there’s 20% new oak this year. The new parcel provides a little more spice and structure, but the wine remains exceptionally long for its humble appellation. Drink 2021-2027. 

The 2020 Chambolle-Musigny Les Noirots comes from vines of Riparia rootstock, around 35-year old. It has a lovely bouquet, pure and elegant with dark cherries, wild strawberry and rose petal scents. The palate is well balanced with crisp acidity, well balanced with a fine proportioned, harmonious finish. What a charming Noirots!

Drink 2024 - 2036

Neil Martin, Vinous.com (December 2021)

This is from the lieux-dits Grands Clos and Clos Chareau. The former is higher up, on limestone, the latter lower down, with more clay. Great Morgeot is a vin de garde; this is no exception. It’s spicy and rich, with plump fruit and delicate floral touches. The texture is serious and a little firm, but this will age beautifully.

Berry Bros. & Rudd

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Lavaux Saint-Jacques 1er Cru has a well-defined bouquet with red cherries, blackcurrant, crushed violet and light stony aromas. This is nicely focused with good vigour. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannins, fine acidity, touches of orange rind and marmalade enlivening the peppery finish. Not the most precise Lavaux Saint-Jacques, but good substance here.

Drink 2026 - 2048

Neal Martin, Vinous.com (December 2021)

The 2020 Gevrey-Chambertin Regnard (négoce) bursts with aromas of plums, peonies, warm spices and soil tones. It's charming and vibrant, medium to full-bodied, velvety and concentrated, with powdery tannins and a long, sapid finish.

Laurent Lignier began his harvest on August 27, reporting below-average yields and finished alcohols between 13% and 14%. Once again, the result is a fine vintage for both his domaine holdings and négociant sources—the latter, amounting to some 3.5 hectares of vines, now clearly distinguished in our reviews. 

As readers will know, winemaking is pretty classical at this address, with a short cold maceration, two to three weeks maceration with one pigéage and one rémontage per day and maturation in barrels, some one-third of which are new—if possible, without racking—for fully 22 months in the domaine's cold cellars. 

The 2020s are more primary and tightly wound than Lignier's 2019s, but they're similar in quality and worth seeking out.

William Kelley, Wine Advocate (January 2022)

The malolactic was half way through. 58% whole bunch, 50% new wood, including this sample from a new barrel. Jet black with purple rim, some apple notes from the malolactic and some barrel toast. Powerful stuff. Lively acidity though, coffee notes, more dark fruit but not at all heavy. Some tannins. Very good length here.

Jasper Morris MW, Inside Burgundy (January 2022)

The fruit here is sourced from a trusted and well-regarded vigneron, from a top site in Montagny. The soil is clay over limestone. The wine is made exclusively in larger demi-muids. There’s a little stone-fruit here, adding creaminess to the mid-palate, but the underlying salinity ensures everything remains fresh and gives an energetic finish.

Drink 2024 - 2030

Berry Bros. & Rudd

Dense black purple. Very little bouquet. Huge rich and powerful but this time the fruit goes right through to the finish and the little fresh crunch of acidity at the back helps considerably. Some deep raspberry along with some blacker fruit as well.

Jasper Morris MW, InsideBurgundy.com (January 2022)

From a .7 ha parcel in Prissé.

A subtle but easily perceptible dollop of wood is present on the almost painfully intense and overtly powerful larger-scale flavours, which also exude a bracing salinity on the youthfully austere, serious, and lingering finish that already offers fine depth. This possesses fine development potential, though at least some patience is again advised.

Drink from 2027 onward

Allen Meadows, Burghound.com (October 2021)

The 2021 Balocchi di Cabernet Franc is arrestingly beautiful. A new and extremely limited addition to the Balocchi series, just 1,200 bottles of this precious cuvée were produced from old Cabernet Franc vines in Olmo, Fiesole. The nose is complex and defined, moving from heady, red and blue berries, to pretty dried violet and rose petal. The palate is sculpted from marble, so light on its feet as it delivers waves of red and black cherry, dried strawberry and plum, accented by blood orange and floral perfume. This is ethereal, showing the power, minerality and fragility of old vine Cabernet Franc. It saw a maturation of 24 months in old 225l barrique.

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd

Cabernet Sauvignon 81%, Cabernet Franc 11%, Merlot 7%, Petit Verdot 1%

It’s 10 years since the Suravenir insurance group bought Calon Ségur. Their higher-density replanting programme is at the half-way stage, the benefits already evident. Once built around Merlot grown on clay, Cabernet Sauvignon is now the engine. The 2021 is an unqualified success. Gentle extractions have caressed into play a wine of pure class, refreshing yet intense. The fruits are exquisite, bright and floral, yet there are gourmand notes of lead pencil and cool earth. The tannins are fine-grained and graceful, seeming to waft across the palate.

Our score: 18/20

Berry Bros. & Rudd, April 2022

Bibi Graetz considers his new-and-improved 2022 a true renaissance of Casamatta – becoming “a little Testamatta”. From around 420 metres above sea level, the Sangiovese used here comes from Bibi’s Vincigliata and Olmo vineyards in Fiesole. This is bright and energetic, vinified entirely in stainless steel to protect that character. Leaping with perfume, the wine flows with red berries and sweet dried violets. This is followed by glistening red cherries, fresh cranberries and supreme balance on the palate. This is one for the true Bibi fans.

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (June 2024)

The brilliant Rémi Pouizin makes this delicious wine for us. The purity of his approach in the vineyard shines through in the aromas of freshly picked red cherries and ripe blackcurrants. The palate has a deliciously fresh yet silky mouthfeel, full of juicy red and black berries, while the sweet, bright fruit lingers alongside a lick of cranberry on the long, refreshing finish. 

Catriona Felstead MW, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd

This is the baby Testamatta Bianco. It is produced using the youngest vines on the island of Giglio. The grapes are hand harvested and vinified entirely in stainless steel. The fermentation temperatures are kept low, protecting the wine’s fresh, crisp brilliance. The coastal fingerprint is unmistakable, the palate awash with grapefruit peel and lemon peel. Also present is the signature salty, fennel-like refreshment and complexity typical of Bibi Graetz’s whites. You may not have heard of Ansonica (the dominant grape), but you will certainly be pleased you found it.

Charlie Leech, Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd

The potential alcohol content was record high from the start, especially in Aÿ, with 11.1% straight away. Denis, just like me, sees great similarities between 2015 and 2019, but where the sharpness and freshness is better in 2019. It is not the acidity, but rather the mineral salt that gives the freshness together with the sense of umami the concentrated grapes give. Here, there is a swirl of exotic fruit and honey and a dry smokiness that I’ve learned to associate with the cluster of aromas that transforms over time into the note of railway on a hot summer’s day. It might sound fuzzy, but it makes perfect sense.

The combination of heated rail, dry gravel, dandelions and nettles that thrive in the embankment gives a concentrated, warm dryness strongly reminiscent of the character the grapes acquire when the temperature crosses the vine’s pain point on a few hot summer days. 41 degrees in the shade was a heat record in Champagne, especially a lot of shade, which the vineyards in Champagne cannot boast of, so the effect is reminiscent of that which arose in 1947, 1959, 1976, and 2003. Hence, this aroma was less marked in 2019. Let’s see if I’m right in 10 years when I expect “The Famous Note of Railroad Track” to appear in this beauty.

Richard Juhlin, The Champagne Club (June 2024)

This multi-vintage cuvée is sourced from Champagne Penet-Chardonnet’s finest sites, located across Verzy and Verzenay. Comprised of 70% Pinot Noir and 30% Chardonnay, the base wine is from the superlative 2013 vintage. This wine represents incredible value for the price: the nose is rich in white flowers and sourdough bread, while the palate is fine, smoky, and filled with mineral tension. The wine spent seven years on lees.

Drink 2023 - 2030

Davy Żyw, Senior Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd